1/16 Impact Recap (tag team debuts, title change)

Tenay and Taz comment on the passing of Mae Young, and state that tonight’s show is dedicated to her.

We get a video package, breaking down last week’s show, which for now, is the last stand of AJ Styles.

Rockstar Spud is in the ring to kick off the show. He calls for some decorum, as the fans are not fans of his. Tonight will be monumental, which is special since nothing special ever happens in Huntsville, Alabama. He introduces Dixie Carter, who makes her way to the ring. She says everyone has seen what happens when you cross the boss. First Jeff Hardy, then AJ Styles, and tonight, who knows? She assures us, she is game to play tonight if someone is ready. She says she warned AJ, and she is the law in TNA. Listen carefully, AJ did not listen, so when AJ tried to go above the law, she asked him to get in line. He didn’t do that, the redneck in him had to come out, and it showed disrespect. Where did it get him? Back to the beginning of his career. Tonight is a new chapter, and that is about a man who has earned respect and honor. He is a role model who is looked up to by million. He is a man that represents her TNA, the undisputed champion, Magnus.

Magnus now makes his way to the ring. Magnus says this is the champion speaking. On a historic night, a night where they can say, (you sold out chants) that we have left the petty business in the rearview mirror, we look ahead to a new day. The reign of Magus is here. He is wearing two title belts, and is doing so because he is giving the one from AJ Styles to her. All of this is because of her. Dixie is a champion to everyone in the industry, and we owe everything to her. She knows she deserves it, but Magnus is the real world champion. But before they can celebrate further, they need to bring out some loyal people. Out comes The BroMans, Zema Ion, Bad Influence, Bobby Roode, Gail Kim and Tapa. Dixie says each of them went above the call of duty, especially Roode. What he did last week was pure art. She is proud of them all, and they will all benefit, which they will see in their next check. Tonight is a new night, a Genesis of Dixie Carter’s TNA. But for that to happen, they have to stand tall as a company, and this is their chance to have that chance. Tonight, EC3 will have to take out Sting to help make that happen as he continues his winning streak.

EC3 is introduced. EC3 goes to talk, but the lights drop and Sting’s music hits. He is in the crowd with his bat. He points to the ring and we head to a commercial.

Back from commercial and Sting asks if this is the future. He hopes the payoff was worth it. There are people in the back that couldn’t be bought, because they have honor, which Dixie cannot understand. He didn’t know she could sink so low to put out hits on the wrestlers. But when you mess with families like with Kurt Angle’s, and now she has a paper champion. They took Magnus into the MEM because they saw him as the future, but they never thought he would sell out. This is not a house united, it is a house divided. And a house like that cannot stand, so before it topples down, they will do something tonight. We will fight tonight. Dixie asks who is WE, because she only sees Sting. Sting says to look around the building, and we see Storm, ODB, Park, Joe, EY and all the guys that got beat down last week. They rush the ring and we get a big brawl, with the faces clearing out the ring. Sting and EC3 face off in the ring, Sting backs him off with the bat and nails him in the gut. We head to another commercial.

Ok, tag match here we go. Joe works over Ion as the rest brawl on the floor. Joe sidesteps the cross body try, corner back splash and enziguri by Joe. They roll to the floor, Tapa and ODB into the ring now. ODB sends Tapa to the floor, Storm and Daniels in now. Off the ropes, shoulder block by Storm and then a hip toss. Storm sends him to the floor, Kaz in and dropkicks him to the floor. Gunner is in now, press slam on Kaz sends him to the floor. Everyone to the floor now as EY and Robbie are in. Flying forearm by EY, Jessie in to break that up. Park in as well, they double team Jessie. Splash by Park as things settle down. EY’s top rope elbow is stopped as the BroMans and Ion beat down EY. ODB is in, sack of shit slam by ODB. Tapa in and kills her with a shoulder block. Daniels in now to work over EY, leg lariat connects and a cover for 2. EY fights back, they trade rights, EY tries for a tag but Daniels slams him to the corner. Feed cuts out for a moment, and now Joe is back in and cleans house on Daniels and covers for 2. Snap slam by Joe to Kaz. ELBOW SUICIDA to the BroMans connects for Joe! ODB and Tapa brawl on the floor, Kaz with a kick to Park and he is down. Park is bleeding from the mouth, ABYSS TIME and he starts to lay people out. Chokeslam to Ion. Black hole slam to Kaz! He then lays out Gunner and Storm and goes to the floor and attacks Ion again. Joe back in, STJOE to Daniels. The clutch is applied, and Daniels taps.

Velvet Sky is backstage talking with Aries, and they discuss the position she has been put in. Sabin arrives as Aries bails, and he is not happy. Velvet says they were just talking, and Sabin gets upset that she will not talk to him. So he says they will talk in front of all the people, now.

Kurt Angle arrives looking for Dixie Carter and Al Snow.

Sabin and Velvet are in the ring. Sabin says Sky is being selfish. He is her boyfriend and X-Division champion, he is the champion for them. But now she is having secret meetings with Austin Aries. Aries makes his way out and says he is the worst boyfriend that ever lived. He shouldn’t worry about Aries stealing his girlfriend, although he would sample the pigeon pie, but Sky shouldn’t have to put up with Sabin’s shit because she is hot. Sabin says to give up on that because they are in love and she proved that by doing what he told her to do. Aries told Sky to be herself, an extremely hot piece of… Sabin cuts him off. Sabin says she is his piece, and slaps her ass. Aries says next week, one on one, for the X-Title, and Sky is out of the equation, because Sabin cannot beat him on his own. Sabin says everyone knows he is the better man. Aries says that they will put Sky in a cage ringside so he cannot make her get involved. Sky grabs the mic from Sabin and says she will do it. She is sick of this mess, and did not want to be involved. She says she wants a man who will standup for her, so she puts it to the test next week. But next week, he cannot make her help. And before she goes, if he doesn’t beat Aries next week, she may have to find someone else to spend her time with.

Angle walks, looking for Dixie. He runs into random backstage person who has not seen her.

Agent Pat Kenny tells a cameraman to shoot everything. He then sees Sam Shaw and says he did well and will be a player in TNA. He then tells him not to worry about Hemme, but to worry about his opponents. Shaw then kicks the shit out of him because he’s a psychopath. Simon says, you have a problem!

EC3 hypes himself up in the mirror saying he can beat Sting. Magnus arrives, and says he was where EC3 was, doubting himself. Magnus says EC3 is a Carter, and if he plays his cards right, he can be where Magnus is now. Magnus says he beat Sting, by submission, and EC3 needs to worry about not letting down the family. Good luck kid. EC3 then goes back to hyping himself up.

As Bully Ray makes his way to the ring, Anderson attacks. We go to a commercial.

NO DQ MATCH: Bully Ray vs. Mr. Anderson

Back from commercial, JIP as Anderson and Ray brawl around ringside. They roll into the ring and the bell ring to signal the official start of the match. Anderson runs wild early, hits a neck breaker, and then Ray cuts off the mic check and they clothesline each other. Both guys get chairs, and have a standoff. They have a chair fight, just like the time Spock and Kirk had to fight, but without the cool music. Ray loses his chair, Anderson misses a shot, and then Ray spears him. Ray gets the chain and lays the beating on Anderson. Ray wraps the chain around his arm and drops the elbow, a cover gets 2. Ray yells at ref Earl Hebner, Hebner gets his man up spot, and then Anderson nails Ray with a chair as he was looking to hit Anderson. That gets 2. Anderson to the floor, and he gets a piece of guardrail. That makes it into the ring, he picks it up but Ray kicks it back into his face. Ray then slams him on the barricade, but then misses a splash. Anderson up top, senton MISSES and he lands on the barricade. That had to suck. Ray sets, charges, but runs into the mic check onto the barricade and that gets 2. Anderson back to the floor, crowd wants tables, so Anderson grabs one. He slides it into the ring, sets it up in the corner, Ray up top and Anderson gets the low blow. Grabs Ray and hits the kamikaze roll into the table, only 2! Anderson gets another table, slides it into the ring, and sets it up. He grabs Ray, but Ray gets a uranage out of nowhere for a close 2. Ray now goes and gets the lighter fluid. Ray says that this is for Anderson’s wife and bastard children. Anderson hits the mic check, and then grabs the lighter fluid. He sprays down the table, and as he goes to light it, Ray hits a low blow. PILEDRIVER by Ray, and that is all.

NOTE: On Bully’s wrist tape, he had “MAE” written.

OFFICIAL RESULT: Bully Ray @ 10:00 via pin

Kurt Angle finds Al Snow and slams him against the wall and asks him about last week. He demands to know who set him up and put Snow up to getting him away from the building. Snow says he has a family to feed, and Angle gives no fucks and punches him.

Kurt Angle makes his way to the ring, as Taz and Tenay discuss THE CODE: not to mess with a wrestler’s family. Angle says he came to TNA because of Dixie Carter, but now his family has been involved in this, so boss, get out here because he wants answers. Dixie then makes her way out to the ring, and says that Angle has to realize that things are changing, and this is not seven years ago. Angle says the Dixie he knew is not here any more. But now, she wants to fake an emergency with his wife and kids. She says she did that because she cares about Angle, to protect his family. Dixie says Angle would have made a bad choice last week and she was protecting him from himself. Angle says she is out of her mind, if she wanted to screw AJ and take out half of the locker room while pretending something bad happened to his family. Dixie says he would have made the wrong choice last week, and gotten hurt, and then he wouldn’t have been making her money. She doesn’t want him to be like AJ or Hardy, she did what she did because it was best for Angle. Just like everything she does is best for her team. Angle says he is not on her team, and says after he kicks Roode’s ass tonight, he will be out here supporting Sting. She cannot let him get in the ring in his state, so she is postponing his match with Roode to next week. If he gets involved in tonight’s main event, there will be consequences, ones that may cost him his job. Angle then says this is bigger than his job, and if she wants to fire him, then fire him. He will do what is right tonight. Dixie says she has to protect him again, and calls for security to escort Angle from the building. Bobby Roode rushes the ruing and clotheslines Angle in the back of the head. He hits the “Roode Bomb” on Angle (DVD into a neck breaker) and has security take Angle out of the building.

Prior to the Knockouts Title match, Kim and Tapa beat down Madison Rayne.

Rayne comes to the ring, selling the attack from Kim and Tapa. Kim attacks at the bell and beats down Rayne, and lays in boots to the gut. A clothesline by Kim and a cover gets 2. Rayne counters a slam into a cover for 2. Victory roll by Rayne gets 2. She rolls and gets the skull fuck on Kim, but is still selling the beat down. Kim trips her up, and then slams her to the corner. They trade forearm strikes, clothesline by Rayne. Misses a boot, kick to the gut by Kim and she works a head scissors. Back to the feet, forearms exchanged, Rayne gets a shoulder block and sends Kim to the floor. Rayne follows, tosses Kim back in but Tapa attacks her and chokes her out. Tapa gets tossed by the ref and had to go to the back. Back to action, figure four on the ring post by Kim, which has to suck. Kim back in the ring and allows the ref to count on Rayne. Rayne makes it back in, charges, but Rayne flapjacks her. Neck breaker onto the knee by Rayne and that is all.

OFFICIAL RESULT: Madison Rayne @ 4:00 via pin

Dixie Carter is backstage with “The Wolves,” Eddie Edwards and Davey Richards. They get a “tryout match” next week. They think they are past a tryout match, and say they signed contracts this morning. They then hand her an envelope and say that it will clear things up. A new “TNA Investor” apparently signed them.

The crowd chants, “you’re a douche bag” as Spud. Lock up to begin, Sting backs off as Spud threatens to DQ him. Lock up, to the corner and Spud stops Sting from punching EC3. EC3 takes advantage, gets a suplex and they go to the floor. Sting n control, tosses EC3 to the steps and then drags him around and suplexes him onto the ramp. Back in the ring, Sting goes for the comer splash, but Spud stops that and EC3 takes control of things and beats down Sting in the corner. Corner clothesline by EC3, belly to back suplex connects and EC3 celebrates. To the second rope, and he misses an elbow drop. Sting fires up, hits clotheslines, and then the corner splash. Locks in the scorpion death lock and EC3 tries to fight. Spud then jumps on Sting’s back to break the hold. Sting spins Spud into EC3, hits the death drop and covers. Spud takes his time, but will not count. Sting grabs him and uses Spud’s hand to count, but Magnus breaks it up. Magnus now has a ref shirt on, EC3 rolls up Sting and that is all.

OFFICIAL RESULT: EC3 @ 5:00 via pin

Sting is not happy about this. He wants to fight Magnus, and will do anything to get that fight. Magnus makes his way back to the ring as we head to a commercial.

Back from commercial and Magnus has a mic. Sting says this is now about them. Sting chose Magnus to be in th eMEM, he believed in him, and now Magnus spits in his face. Magnus disgraces Hardy, Styles, the belt, the fans and the business. Sting calls Magnus cancer, and asks for one shot at the title. Magnus says it is always one more for Sting, and says one more is one too many. Magnus reminds Sting that he lost at Slammiversary and cannot compete for the title any longer. He adds that he owes Sting nothing. Sting says Magnus owes it to himself if he wants to be his own man to prove that he is a real champion. Sting then says a man is a champion, and boys wear belts. Will you be a man or a little boy? Magnus says he knows what Sting is trying to do and will not fall for his games. But he will make him a deal. Dixie is considering Sting’s contract. So how about this, if Sting wins he wins the TNA World Title. If Magnus wins, he tears up the contract and Sting is DONE. Sting says lets gamble. Magnus cannot wait to tear up his contract, his career, his life, and his legacy in front of his face.

5 Responses

To be honest, the thing about a “new TNA investor” sounds to me like it could be Jarrett. I mean, when TNA announced Jarrett had left, didn’t they say he’d continue to contribute as an investor? So, maybe Ditzy’s mom, Janice (who has taken over Robert’s position as head of Panda Energy, TNA’s parent company, & therefore also his position as majority shareholder of TNA) has finally embraced working with Jarrett & has decided to try to start reigning in her daughter & TNA. Either that, or this means that they may be getting ready in case someone does come forward with wanting to buy the company. Nonetheless, it will be interesting to see how the situation with the “new TNA investor” plays out.

This is why I kinda gave up on TNA. They keep forgetting their history. Within the last year, they booked Sting to wrestle for the title when he was already set not to for the rest of his life. Now, I’m not a rocket scientist, but if you can’t remember that a wrestler can’t be booked for a world title match, especially since it’s been less than a year since the stipulation was set, you have issues.